You've found the right place. And I'm so glad you wrote.
You say you are suffering with food, exercise, motivation, fatigue and depression. And that you're interested in information on Cortisol, Adrenal Fatigue and Depression.
That's an awful lot to bite off all at once, Catherine. Do you think you're suffering from depression now? Are you seeing anyone about it, or taking any meds for it? If so, do you think that the treatment and/or meds are helping you?
Are you an "all or nothing" person? I know exactly what you're feeling. I also am a person who can get into a great routine of diet and exercise and make lots of progress and then something comes along -- a trip or a vacation or an illness -- and I never get back to it. It's like, if I didn't do it perfectly, I won't do it at all.
Are you a perfectionist by chance? Does that sound like you?
Don't worry any more about last year, OK? That's gone now. What we have now is January 2010, and a year ahead of us. You learned a lot last year about how to do things well. You made a lot of progress. That learning hasn't gone away.
I recently re-joined Weight Watchers. It was hard for me to do. But you know what? They had an entire handout for Returning Members. They took all my frustrations and made me feel better about them. The handout says things that are TRUE, like "your past experiences have shown you what works for you and what doesn't," and "If you feel a little frustrated about being back at the beginning, don't worry. Returning members are often re-energized by once again concentrating on their weight and their health."
And you know what? It's true. I bet that you know a small step you could take to make yourself feel better and to move toward a goal of better eating or more exercise. All the things you listed are connected: food and mood, exercise and fatigue, food and fatigue, exercise and mood, mood and fatigue, and all of it with depression. That's the tough news. The good news is that they're all connected, so when you start in on one of them -- just a little bit -- you start making progress in the other areas too, almost without trying.
Don't be too hard on yourself, Catherine. That doesn't help us a bit, you know? I'm hard on myself too, and I think it only gives me more bumps and bruises in the psyche (and I don't need that).
Here's a post I wrote a little while back on cortisol:
And here's a great explainer on adrenal fatigue:
https://www.empowher.com/media/audio/audio-dr-theodore-friedman-demystifying-adrenal-fatigue-and-adrenal-hormone-roles
And we have quite a bit on depression:
https://www.empowher.com/media/reference/depression#definition
https://www.empowher.com/condition/depression
Does this help a little? If you think you may be suffering from the adrenal fatigue again, might you schedule a doctor's visit? To talk about that and the possible depression?
Write back and let us know a little more about yourself. I'd love to hear.
Comment Reply
Catherine,
You've found the right place. And I'm so glad you wrote.
You say you are suffering with food, exercise, motivation, fatigue and depression. And that you're interested in information on Cortisol, Adrenal Fatigue and Depression.
That's an awful lot to bite off all at once, Catherine. Do you think you're suffering from depression now? Are you seeing anyone about it, or taking any meds for it? If so, do you think that the treatment and/or meds are helping you?
Are you an "all or nothing" person? I know exactly what you're feeling. I also am a person who can get into a great routine of diet and exercise and make lots of progress and then something comes along -- a trip or a vacation or an illness -- and I never get back to it. It's like, if I didn't do it perfectly, I won't do it at all.
Are you a perfectionist by chance? Does that sound like you?
Don't worry any more about last year, OK? That's gone now. What we have now is January 2010, and a year ahead of us. You learned a lot last year about how to do things well. You made a lot of progress. That learning hasn't gone away.
I recently re-joined Weight Watchers. It was hard for me to do. But you know what? They had an entire handout for Returning Members. They took all my frustrations and made me feel better about them. The handout says things that are TRUE, like "your past experiences have shown you what works for you and what doesn't," and "If you feel a little frustrated about being back at the beginning, don't worry. Returning members are often re-energized by once again concentrating on their weight and their health."
And you know what? It's true. I bet that you know a small step you could take to make yourself feel better and to move toward a goal of better eating or more exercise. All the things you listed are connected: food and mood, exercise and fatigue, food and fatigue, exercise and mood, mood and fatigue, and all of it with depression. That's the tough news. The good news is that they're all connected, so when you start in on one of them -- just a little bit -- you start making progress in the other areas too, almost without trying.
Don't be too hard on yourself, Catherine. That doesn't help us a bit, you know? I'm hard on myself too, and I think it only gives me more bumps and bruises in the psyche (and I don't need that).
Here's a post I wrote a little while back on cortisol:
https://www.empowher.com/community/share/understanding-cortisol-our-friend-our-enemy
And here's a great explainer on adrenal fatigue:
https://www.empowher.com/media/audio/audio-dr-theodore-friedman-demystifying-adrenal-fatigue-and-adrenal-hormone-roles
And we have quite a bit on depression:
https://www.empowher.com/media/reference/depression#definition
https://www.empowher.com/condition/depression
Does this help a little? If you think you may be suffering from the adrenal fatigue again, might you schedule a doctor's visit? To talk about that and the possible depression?
Write back and let us know a little more about yourself. I'd love to hear.
January 18, 2010 - 10:22amThis Comment
Reply